On February 20, 2025, PERSGA successfully held its 21st Ministerial Council session in Aqaba, Jordan. The session was preceded by a preparatory meeting on February 18, which was held back-to-back with the regional steering committee meeting for the SFISH project.
The council meeting, chaired by His Excellency the Minister of Environment of Jordan, saw the participation of high-ranking officials and ministers from all PERSGA member states. Over 15 strategic decisions were adopted, addressing key issues such as the implementation of new MARPOL special area requirements, action plans to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, preventing the introduction of invasive aquatic species through ship biofouling, improving the monitoring of fisheries activities with enhanced fish statistics data collection, and restructuring PERSGA and its EMARSGA Center for the 2025-2026 biennium.
The Council also reviewed the progress made in implementing PERSGA’s development plan, which included the establishment of an internal audit and review unit, the development of a contract and procurement management system through the STEP system, and the creation of a guide for managing environmental and societal risks for PERSGA projects.
During the meeting, the Egyptian Minister of Environment presented the achievements of Egypt’s presidency during the previous council, highlighting the development of new regional plans and advancements in PERSGA’s institutional structure. The PERSGA Secretariat provided updates on the progress of ongoing World Bank-funded SFISH projects, the results of the HESBERSGA project on the Blue Economy, and PERSGA’s activities throughout 2023-2024. These activities included intensive environmental awareness campaigns, issuing brochures, awareness materials, environmental films and videos, in addition to organizing over 45 national and regional training workshops on key topics like the MARPOL Convention, marine spatial planning, marine waste management, chemical pollution, and the blue economy.
Additionally, PERSGA launched its new website, developed the Information Systems Unit, and established the Regional Integrated Information Management System (RIMS) to enhance the exchange of environmental data across the region. In total, more than 20 scientific and technical publications were released during the last session.
The council also explored potential funding sources for PERSGA projects, focusing on nature-based solutions and contributions from member states.
At the regional SFISH project steering committee meeting, discussions centered on the progress of activities at both the regional and national levels. Topics included the status of the SFISH project, efforts to combat IUU fishing, findings from the Midterm Review, and recommendations for improving fisheries statistics. The committee also reviewed the status of megafauna species (such as sharks, marine turtles, seabirds, etc.), regional oil and hazardous and noxious substances (HNS) spill contingency plans, and the strengthening of technical capacities. The committee commended PERSGA for its exemplary work under the SFISH project, particularly in supporting the development of national and regional action plans for IUU fishing, enhancing fish stock assessments, and promoting the conservation of megafauna populations.
